Green Tea for Allergies – Can It Be a Cure?
Green Tea for Allergies – Can It Be a Cure?
The beneficial properties of green tea are widely discussed. Various scientific studies have shown that it has the potential to prevent and fight cancer. It has anti-aging properties as well. These allow it to protect the nervous and the cardiovascular system. But can green tea be powerful enough to protect us from the common allergies, which torture millions of people all the time? There is evidence that it can.
A study carried out in 2002 by scientists in Japan came up with very optimistic results. The specialists tested the most active antioxidant in green tea – epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is also the most abundant in the leaves of the plant. They applied EGCG to human blood cells, basophils, which are known to release histamine during allergic reactions. The researchers found that EGCG blocks the production of histamine by these cells. They also discovered that the antioxidant blocks the release of immunoglobulin E, also known as IgE.
The results from this study show that green tea and EGCG contained in it, in particular, can actually fight allergies by blocking the production of chemical compounds, which are released during allergic reactions. Basically, this means that green tea has the potential to act as a natural anti-histamine cure. However, there are on going tests that will determine how exactly EGCG can fight allergies and how much green tea, or medication based on it, should be taken.
So, should you consume green tea for fighting allergies? Yes, you should definitely do this. Even if the effect is small on you, you will still get at least some relief. People in Asian countries and in Japan and China, in particular, have always drunk the beverage when experiencing watery eyes, sneezing and coughing. Apparently, they have found relief and you can get it as well.
In addition, green tea has no side effects on individuals who have good general health. Hence, there will be no harm from consuming it. Still, it is a good idea to consult your physician, if you plan to take green tea in large quantities. Besides, individuals who are allergic to caffeine and tannin should not have green tea, since these chemical compounds are present in it.
You should try everything possible to get relief from allergies. Consuming green tea on a daily basis is just one of the things that can help you, so you should not hesitate to combine it with other natural methods, such as reducing alcohol consumption and washing your hands more often.
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